Data centers build a high-tech backbone for Iowa
When ground is broken on a data center project in Iowa, the impact is felt long before the first servers are turned on and processing data. It begins with the arrival of hundreds of skilled tradesmen. The crowds continue at local hotels and crowded lunch buffets at neighborhood restaurants. For Iowa, these projects aren’t just about buildings. They are economic engines that improve our state’s future.
A recent economic impact study by the Iowa Technology Association confirms what we see every day: Data center development is transforming Iowa’s construction industry. A single site often employs more than 500 well-paid construction workers from start to finish. Current operations support more than 9,000 jobs annually and generate $3 billion in total production, according to the Technology Association. Data processing and hosting is currently the second fastest growing industry by wages in Iowa. Iowa families benefit from these investments.
At The Weitz Co., we see this benefit in the lives of our people. With this investment, our business has grown, allowing us to create new teams, new positions and completely new business lines. Our engineers, masons, carpenters and electricians form the backbone of our business, adding skill and precision to every project as we build state-of-the-art facilities for some of the world’s most influential companies. Guiding these efforts, our builders—many of whom are homegrown talents from Iowa State University, the University of Iowa, and the University of Northern Iowa—have become world-class experts in high-tech construction.
Data center construction and operations require extreme attention to detail and precision. Data centers have a zero tolerance policy for differences; Each system must operate exactly as specified. Therefore, electrical and mechanical designs are among the most advanced in the world. We don’t just build warehouses; We install advanced thermal management and closed-loop cooling systems designed to minimize environmental impact and maximize efficiency. On a per square foot basis, this is some of the most efficient construction taking place anywhere today.
The potential of our state is huge. The Iowa Technology Association found that if Iowa’s full development pipeline comes to fruition, we could see more than 18,000 data center-related jobs. This is especially vital to Iowa’s construction community; It provides stable, exceptional wages that keep our families afloat. The expertise these employees gain does not disappear when a project ends; It becomes a permanent part of Iowa’s “human capital” and raises the ceiling on what our workforce can achieve on future projects.
